The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-08-26
A STEADFAST FLAME
BY JAMES FRANKLIN Fits.

years ago. was then private secre-
tary or general factotum OF the mil
lionnaire, John Rawl;nson. How and
where he picked me up and attached
me to him is OF no consequence, for
the story has no relation to myself.
Yet the episode may be of some value
as showing something of him.
1t happened at the Parker House,
Boston. Ihad come to the city to
look IN a rich relative, from whom /
had reason to expect profitable EN-.
ployment. Standing at the desk l
registered in that large, round back
hand that is part of me ! turned to
step away and saw that q heavy man
with II dull-looking face, relieved by
piercing little gray eyes, had been look
ing over my shoulder.
"l!old on sir" he said. III want
to soe you"
IL. seized the pen, scored of the
name John Rawlinson" in a Grabbed
hand, and asked me to step into the
readlng.room with him.
He motioncd me to a chair, and
took one himself. Then without a
word, he stared ut me for q full min
ute.
The oddity OF the thing struck me.
laughed.
"You'll know ME when you see me
again, | hope" was my remark.
you write Just as old Max Bert
used to-" he said. Max was my con
tiden,ial clerk years ago. He fell into
the lake at Chicago and was drowned
want you to write my letters. Who
are you, anyway"
told him.
.'Poor young fellow; no relatives:
colIege-bred-eh!"
mo relations but the uncle l came
here to look for, and Pm not SURE
that he will acknowledge me. l never
saw a college; and as for poverty
when I pay for my dinner, | don't
know where l shall get another"
The strange man deliberately ended
his inspection OF me.
81 rather like your face; | certainly
like your account OF yourself.
haven't any relatives, either; they dc
a man no good. l hate colleges, be
cause they take bright young fellow:
and make conceited asses out ofthem
l started poor, and ! like to see Others
do the anne Do you want good en-
ployment?'
"Above all things, sir"
"Tll give you $500 the first year
and pay your expenses to 60 with me
write for me and attend to my inter
ests generally"
accepted the offer on the spot.
"You ought to understand, sir, tina
I'm called eccentric; and when a MAJ
worth a million gets that name, Their
must be something i'll it. And the
Pm travelling about all the time
You'll go where l go. Does this chang
your mind?"
mo, SIR"
every well. Come into dinner.
pay the bills"
Before the end OF that year we ha
iourneyed many thousands OF mile
by railroad, steamboat and stage i
thirteen states. My business come
tions with him lasted almost thre
years. :.
During all the time l had never di.
covered that John Rawlinson had
permanent home. We stopped a
hotels. Inever knew him to make
visit to any person except strictly j
the way of business. soon began t
see that he was avoiding the poop
Who had known him in thepast year
He never breathed a word to me
his previous life, nor did he encoural
my talk on anything except bushes
l found abundant occupation
writing his letters. reading and brie
ing up his mail, which followed hi,
over the country, and taking curef
notes OF all the information that !
collected. His business was entir
ly the seeking of promising inves
ments in real estate. | have unde
stood. since then, some OF his shrew
ness and foresight. Dozens Of thrivii
cities exist now, where in that de
was nothing but the virgin forest
prairie; very few OF them but wei
marked in advance by Mr.. Rowli
sons keen eve as promising sites; al
Ihave no doubt that these timely j
vestments have increased his million
Zen fold.
One day at n hotel in a southwes
err rity q gentleman accosted hi
spoke mis- name and offered his hant
Mr.. Kawlinson returned his salut
ton indiferently, made some casu
remark ard turned abruptly away.
followed the stranger out on t
street.
"Tell me something OF that mi
you spoke to-" l said. II have be
in his employ for months. and / car
learn anything about him."
'He wns a grain operator in Chic
90. They said that he had ma
money there, and knew enough
quit with it. That's all l know
him"
"Hasn't he had some trouble?"
"Some family difficulty, | belle,
His wife died, If i remember right. B
l can't recall anything OF It,"
When business did not occupy hi
and often on IL Journeys he was h
bitually plunged into the depths OF q
sorbing thought. At such times
face would assume a sombre cast, a
an expression OF the deepest mels
choly would overspread it But
reflections were kept to himself.
gave me no confidence outside of b,
ness affairs, in which / WAS implicit
trusted.
The end of employment "
reached through a curious adventt
which must be told in detail.
We were in a half-t1edged town
Missouri. II is a great city now. I
railroads had then just commend
to reach out for it, and its "bool
WAS but mildly started. Eyeryth
WAS in a kind OF chaos. There W
ungraded and muddy streets, W
brick and plank sidewalks, and